The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-05-05
FINE HAND SEWING.
A GREAT DEMAND FOR GIRLS WHO
CAN DO GOOD WORK.

Ono of the Oldest and Most Honored
of Callings Suffering for Lack of
Workers-Good Wages for First Glass
Work.
"There is so much talk nowadays about
woulan's work and the few avenues open TO
her, and vet one of the oldest and most hon
ored of callings is suffering for want OF work
ers," said well known lady the other day,
whose connection with the Young Women's
Christian association, the Womens exchange
and other similar institutions has brought her
into contact with workers of all classes
teachers, dressmakers, musicians, nurses,
saleswomen, factory and shop women, and
all the great host who earn their living by
doing something which is considered "not
menial."
Il mean hand sewing" said the speaker.
1--WE have constant calls to supply first class
plain sewers, but very few are on our list.
By this term 1 do not mean those who can
hem sheets or table cloths or anything of that
kind only, but girls who can hem stitch and
tuck, put on embroidery and lace, and do all
kinds of sewing necessary in the making Of
underwear, baby linen and fine bed linen.
Such work requires dainty hand, and is an
art that the gentlewomen of q past generation
put among their accomplishments. We find
very few girls fitted for this work, and yet
there is a large demand for it,"
As is well known, people of wealth i'll New
York do not care for machine sewing. Every
article of underwear and all tho household
linen, and especially the children's garments,
are all hand sewn. Many families employ
seamstress hy the month for this purpose, but
there must be thousand others who would
employ one by the day or week.
FINE HAND SEWING.
A young lady who has made her living by
hand sewing for the past two years was
sought out and interviewed on the subject
She was found in neat little flat on the east
side living with her sister, who teaches in one
of the public schools, and with her mother.
| At first she was not inclined to talk on the
subject, but al forward consented to tell of her
success
II always thought should like to be
teacher, but my people were not able to keep
me at school long enough, and was kept at
home by illness also When found out that
l must earn my living some other way APP
piled for a position in a store and got it; but
was home i'll in two months / could not
stand for so many hours. What to try next
did not know; but kind friend said, Why
not do sewing' you sew so beautifully So
advertised to do all kinds of fine hand sewing,
md also applied at the Women's exchange,
and soon had work. Now have more than
| can do"
allow much do you make at it ~
"Well, more than my sister, who has been
teaching for three years. l charge two dol
lars day when l work at peoples houses,
and by the piece when 1 work at home
confine myself almost entirely to making fine
underwear and baby outfits, and tay mother
earns considerable doing embroidery for the
same garments. Many people employ me
who once bought all such things in Paris.
They find that it can be done here for half
the expense. Frequently they bring me an
imported garment and ask me to make a half
dozen like it,
AZ do not think working on fine white cam.
oric and linen half SO injurious to the eyes
and lungs as general dressmaking. / nm try
Ing to induce my sister to give up teaching
and do work similar to mine Iexpect to go
10 Newport this summer, and am engaged by
Ave different families. l shall go from one
mouse to the other and keep all the fine, white
dresses and lingerie in order, and make new
ones when desired l am always treated
nicely, and think going among refined peo-
pie is better than teaching ina public school
Or working in store"
ROOM AT THE TOP
This young lady is evidently at the top Of
the ladder at hand sewing, and it would seem
rs though there was plenty OF room for
others on the different rounds. From seven
ty-ive cents to S1.50 are the usual prices paid
to hand sewers, and this Of course, includes
meals. There are q number Of women who
earn living by doing the family darning
and mending. In all households Of any size
this is no light task; and three families would
give many woman constant employment;
6150 week would not be missed by thou
sands of New York housekeepers, who would
make double that amount in knowing that all
the shirts were supplied with buttons and the
stockings nicely darned.
A higher branch is the making Of bed and
table linen and keeping them in repair. This
is much neglected in most households, and as
there is generally no one on hand competent
10 mend fine linen, it is used torn as it comes
from the laundry, and much costly damask
injured for want Of little care.
"There is such fashion at present for
everything hand made" said the amiable
president of one of the various employment
agencies connected with institutions in this
city, "that | think 5000 or 1000 women
could earn a competency by doing hand sew
ing. We have had several demands Of late from
would be employers, but were unable to find
enough neat and expert hand severe The
trouble is that very few girls are taught to
sew by hand as they were soruc twenty years
ago, and gathers, gussets, feelings and such
terms are hardly known to them. The work
has its drawbacks, Of course, but as other
fields seem overstocked it is strange that more
have not come into this one."--New York
Journal.